More than 1,000 celebrities, many of whom are overwhelmingly leftist, expressed their “unequivocal opposition” to the upcoming merger between Warner Bros. and Paramount.
Actors Bryan Cranston, Alyssa Milano, Cynthia Nixon, Jane Fonda, Kathy Griffin, Rosie O’Donnell, Glenn Close, Ben Stiller, Don Cheadle, Jason Bateman, and Ted Danson added their names to the letter, along with big-name directors like J.J. Abrams, David Chase, and Denis Villeneuve.
“This transaction would further consolidate an already concentrated media landscape, reducing competition at a moment when our industries — and the audiences we serve — can least afford it,” the letter says. “The result will be fewer opportunities for creators, fewer jobs across the production ecosystem, higher costs, and less choice for audiences in the United States and around the world. Alarmingly, this merger would reduce the number of major U.S. film studios to just four.”
It goes on, “We are deeply concerned by indications of support for this merger that prioritize the interests of a small group of powerful stakeholders over the broader public good. The integrity, independence, and diversity of our industry would be grievously compromised.”
The letter ends with a call to action, namely that California Attorney General Rob Bonta and other regulators block the deal.
Paramount released a response Monday morning. They promised to “create a company that can greenlight more projects, back bold ideas, support talent across multiple stages of their careers, and bring stories to audiences at a truly global scale.”
“We hear and understand the concerns that some in our creative community have raised and respect the commitment to protecting and expanding creativity,” their letter states.
“We understand the concerns raised as a result of the disruptions caused to our industry by COVID, entry of big-tech, and changes in consumer behavior, but we promise this: Paramount remains deeply committed to talent, and this merger strengthens both consumer choice and competition, creating greater opportunities for creators, audiences, and the communities they live and work in.”
Warner Bros. agreed in December to an $82.7 billion deal with Netflix. Paramount responded with several hostile takeover bids over the following months, culminating in a surprise twist as the streaming giant bowed out in February.
“… this transaction was always a ‘nice to have’ at the right price, not a ‘must have’ at any price,” Sarandos and Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters said in a statement at the time, as The Daily Wire previously reported.
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